Regardless of the business and industry you work in technology has figured out a way to accelerate the speed of just about everything. No longer can businesses “figure it out later,” that paradigm doesn’t work any longer. What’s an employee to do if they feel like they are barely holding on to the bumper of a speeding car?
As a marketer, the feeling of never staying current has always been on my mind. Over the past 5 years that feeling seems to have risen to the top of everything else I am thinking of and it kicks me in the rear end to remind me that I need to keep reading about what other brands are doing. You know… watch TED talks, absorb case studies and take in a few blogs a day to get a sense of what others are saying as well. Of course for me, all of this is wrapped around marketing and digital.
Warp Speed
Here’s an example. Social media is moving at warp speed and it’s an impossible industry to keep up with unless you’re not human. This week I was doing what I challenged myself to do and I was reading industry blogs and other helpful content. I ran across a blog that had MeerKat mentioned in it. I heard the name recently but never stopped to check it out. Shame on me. MeerKat is an innovative social media tool that allows users to stream live video straight to their Twitter feed – whoa! How cool is that? Because I was skeptical, I had to try it out to see if it really worked. So, I signed-up, activated my camera and mic on my iPhone and away I went. I was hoping to record a “test” piece of video and then see if I liked it before it ended up on my twitter feed. Well, I messed-up and my video which was looking at my desk and the carpet on my office floor looked pretty silly on twitter. However, it was something I have not done before. – I love it and I’m looking forward to trying it again soon, only this time with a little more purposeful thought. My point here is, we all must continue to learn and experience new things to stay fresh.
Learning Is In Your Pocket
In a recent Huffington Post article called “Words Of Wisdom From Entrepreneurs,” it talks about the desire entrepreneurs’ have to keep learning. Of the ten topics listed, this one was probably my favorite.
Keep Learning — Because I am a lover of learning and all things digital, I take advantage of both of those and immerse myself in learning everything I can about my craft. Learning is no longer just in the classroom, at a tradeshow or training workshop. Learning is actually in your pocket on your smartphone every minute of every day. Take advantage of the easy access you have to content and invest in yourself as a professional. Veteran entrepreneurs know their once clear vision and plan at some point can become uncertain. Words of wisdom from the veteran to a new start-up business owner are like gold and should be treated as such. Make sure your business has clear, guiding principles. They are necessary for good decision-making and purposeful, productive actions that keep a business on the right track for sustainable growth. – Huffington Post
YourBrandExposed is designed to look at digital with an eye into the future using a creative, innovative marketing perspective. We’re a consultative and tactical resource for companies looking to leverage the power of digital, web, social and content marketing strategies. Contact us if you’re feeling the digital squeeze on how to best market your company.
Scott MacFarland
Twitter: @scmacfarland
Email: Yourbrandexposed@yahoo.com
Photo Credit: UnSplash – Victor Hanacek
Graphic Credit: Canva
Sources:
https://www.ted.com/search?q=digital
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-macfarland/words-of-wisdom-from-entr_b_6375894.html